 Action/Adventure: January 11, 2012 Issue [#4816] |
  Action/Adventure
This week: Anthropomorphism Edited by: Leger~  
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This week's Action / Adventure Editor
Leger~ |
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Personification of Animals
An action or adventure tale might sometimes include animals. To engage your reader, personify an animal or object. Personification is giving them human characteristics. It is also called anthropomorphism. When your main character jumps into the '62 Corvette, it might "groan to life". Or roses left on a step for a woman might "shiver in the cold evening breeze". Many myths, fables and folk tales personify animals and give them voice.
In the 19th century, children's literature was heavily populated with anthropomorphic animals. Ask Little Red Riding Hood, that's not her Grandmother grinning at her. Think of all the tales - Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, Pinnocchio, and our favorite little Hobbits that have animals or objects with voices. Even before 6th century BC, tales gave voice to animals to teach a lesson. While a talking mongoose might not fit into your storyline, think about giving objects or animals small human attributes to keep your reader interested and relating to the characters.
Anthropomorphism in literature and other media led to a sub-culture known as Furry fandom, which promotes and creates stories about anthropomorphic animals. We even see it captured in sports, with anthropomorphic animals used as mascots, typically humans in costumes. So when writing your next action / adventure, think about giving animals or objects more depth and "personality".
"Th-Th-That's all folks!"
This month's question: What is your favorite personified character?
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If you enjoy these featured stories, please review them and share with friends.
Excerpt: Cradling the gun in my right hand, I pressed my left palm against my heaving chest and thought, What have you done, Stan Walinsky? In the alley behind The Crazy Cuban, the odor of rotting pork and over-ripe bananas filled my nostrils. Crouched next to the trash bin where I had stashed a change of clothes, my rapid, shallow gasps made little puffs of vapor, whisked away by the chilly, swirling wind. I hadn't run four blocks in twenty years. My arthritic ankles and knees throbbed in protest while sirens wailed in the distance.
Excerpt: Yesterday…I buried my grandfather. I didn’t actually bury him, but that’s what we say here in the Midwest. After leaving the cemetery we say, we buried Grandpa today or we laid our Aunt Doris to rest; we even say, rest in peace Mother. For a while this makes us feel good about things, then later when we try to remember the sound of their voice or the color of their eyes; even the wrinkles across their brow we forget, but we never forget the stories they told.
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An aptly named racehorse sheds the cloak of loser and drapes it over its bevy of owners.
#1533412 by DRSmith  |
Excerpt: “Well, look who’s here," Bob said, cheerily. "If it ain’t my dear friend, Boom Boom, the wizard of Wall Street. Come in, come in.” Bob led me into his study. “Glad you could make it; I'm delighted to see you. So, how’s the market and horses treating you these days?”
Excerpt: A couple of passers-by were attracted to the plump orange carrots, with their green tops still attached, highlighting their freshness. The ruddy plump tomatoes were glowing with health, quite unlike the seller’s wan cheeks. Pale green cucumbers were arranged in a neat pyramid; a hand that wiped another cucumber and added it to the top of the pile was clean and tipped with pale-pink short fingernails. It was the hand of an artist, surely?
Excerpt: Well, one time she had the bad luck to prance right into an innocent black mail box that was completely minding its own business. Well, the mailbox didn't budge, and Maya took a good bump on the knee for her troubles and after that, she couldn't pass a black mailbox without baring her teeth and flattening back her ears in righteous indignation to be sure.
Excerpt: Throughout history skirmishes and wars have occurred between neighbors. Sometimes it's been justified, other times it's been over trivial things. An inferior infraction recently erupted into a battle between the Blue and Gray. Although living in the same land, neighbor turned on neighbor over something as petty as peanuts.
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#1821298 by Not Available. |
Excerpt:
The procession was led by two motorcycled traffic officers, the firetruck with its sirens on, police cars, and at the rear following quietly were two ambulances, all flashing lights.
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#1813928 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: Olivia petted the head of her chocolate lab. “C’mon, Buddy,” she whispered. “Let’s go trick-or-treating.”
Excerpt: Then one night late in July I was yanked from a sound sleep by strange scrabbling noises directly above my head. My poor cats were terrified and angry and curious all at once. The noises went on for a couple of hours then subsided. I knew it couldn’t be rats or mice. I have cats to take care of that problem. The sound was far too large for rats, let alone mice. I was mystified. What was it?
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#1802142 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: I didn’t recognize Paito’s face, at first, but I recalled the ducks clustered around his legs and soothed by his voice. Mere ducklings when we met last summer, they grew large and plump. He looked more tired and ragged, his clothes a few shades muddier like the dirt road running past my uncle’s home to Moamba. Just like last summer, I planned to ride my bicycle to town, but I saw Paito and his ducks before departing.
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This month's question: What is your favorite personified character?
Last month's question: Do you borrow from the past to invent new characters?
StephBee  replied: I borrow on occasion, but I also like to create new characters as well. Those that I borrow, I do a lot of research on them so I make sure I get "feel" of them right.
Bronson T. Rand  answered: I often use historical references to create the basis of new characters if one such historical figure inspires me. More often I use people from the past that I have personally met.
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